Nebraska GOP state Sen. Flood wins ex-congressman’s seat

OMAHA, Neb. (AP) — Nebraska state Sen. Mike Flood received a particular election Tuesday to switch former U.S. Rep. Jeff Fortenberry, a fellow Republican who was sentenced to 2 years of probation earlier within the day for a conviction on costs that he lied to federal brokers.

Flood beat Democratic state Sen. Patty Pansing Brooks within the state’s Republican-leaning 1st District, which incorporates Lincoln and dozens of smaller, principally conservative cities in jap Nebraska.

Flood, a former speaker of the Nebraska Legislature, will serve the remainder of what would have been Fortenberry’s ninth time period. He’ll be a robust favourite to win a brand new time period in November, when he faces Pansing Brooks once more.

In a short interview after his win, Flood promised to be a conservative advocate for the district and a champion for native infrastructure initiatives and agriculture. All through the marketing campaign, he sought guilty President Joe Biden and Home Speaker Nancy Pelosi for rising inflation, and pledged to battle Biden administration insurance policies.

Flood acknowledged that he must do extra to spice up his assist within the Lincoln space, one of many solely pockets of Democratic energy within the district. Flood’s victory was narrower than in earlier elections, when Fortenberry would simply beat Democratic challengers with greater than 60% of the vote.

“I acknowledge that I’ve work to do,” Flood stated.

In a press release, Nebraska Democratic Get together Chair Jane Kleeb stated the narrower-than-expected margin exhibits the necessity for extra nationwide celebration assist in rural areas which can be usually considered as unwinnable.

“Sen. Pansing Brooks related with voters and began to alter the political panorama of Nebraska,” Kleeb stated.

Each candidates have been nominated by their events’ leaders in April to run within the particular election. The subsequent month, Nebraska major voters picked them to run within the common election.

In courtroom Tuesday, Fortenberry sat quietly as U.S. District Choose Stanley Blumenfeld ordered him to serve probation, pay a $25,000 superb and carry out neighborhood service. Blumenfeld rejected prosecutors’ request for a six-month jail sentence, saying the ex-congressman’s habits within the case was out of character.

Fortenberry later stated he deliberate to attraction, arguing that prosecutors by no means ought to have introduced the case and accusing them of profiting from his belief.

“This has been very traumatic and we’ve bought a method to go,” he stated exterior the courthouse. “However I’m grateful that … the choose acknowledged that the sample of what I wished to do with my life was merely to serve in public workplace and to attempt to assist individuals.”

Assistant U.S. Legal professional Mack Jenkins stated prosecutors disagreed with the choice to not impose jail time, however famous the choose’s feedback endorsing the jury’s choice.

Fortenberry resigned in March shortly after a California jury discovered him responsible within the corruption case. He has maintained his innocence and stated he plans to attraction. Earlier than he was indicted in October, Fortenberry was anticipated to sail to a straightforward win.

Prosecutors alleged Fortenberry lied to federal brokers a number of instances about $30,000 in unlawful marketing campaign contributions he acquired from a overseas nationwide at a 2016 fundraiser in Los Angeles. Federal regulation bars donations from overseas nationals.

At trial, prosecutors performed telephone recordings between Fortenberry and a donor-turned-informant, who warned the congressman that the donations had possible been funneled to him from Gilbert Chagoury, a Nigerian billionaire of Lebanese descent. Fortenberry’s attorneys argued that he didn’t hear the warning as a result of unhealthy cellphone reception.

Fortenberry maintained his innocence, going as far as to launch a preemptive denial of the fees earlier than they have been introduced in a video that he filmed inside a 1963 Ford F-150 pickup, together with his spouse and canine at his facet. He additionally continued to marketing campaign, decrying his prosecution as politically motivated and airing assault advertisements towards Flood.

However as extra particulars of the case turned public, Fortenberry rapidly misplaced assist amongst high Nebraska Republicans. Gov. Pete Ricketts and former Gov. Dave Heineman dealt him a significant blow once they endorsed Flood.

Flood stayed principally optimistic, airing a number of lighthearted advertisements, together with one the place he described himself as a conservative “nerd” who would get issues finished in Washington.

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Comply with Grant Schulte on Twitter: https://twitter.com/GrantSchulte

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Melley reported from Los Angeles.

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